(a)Wake presents: A Living Funeral Ceremony & Death Salon
Ritual and community at the edge of what was and what comes next under the Leo New Moon. Join us for a Living Funeral Ceremony followed by a Death Salon.
A Living Funeral Ceremony is an immersive meditative experience that encourages participants to face their own mortality. Through engaging in ritual and guidance through a death visualization–contemplating your own memorial as you imagine letting go of your earthly self–participants are invited to "die before you die, to live while you’re alive."
This ceremonial experience provides a safe and supportive space to confront fears around death and impermanence, while also fostering a deeper connection to life’s fragility and beauty. Often compared to the experience of ego death, this ritual leaves many with a renewed sense of purpose and a profound appreciation for the present moment.
TIMING
Please arrive on time by 7pm, as the container will close once the ceremony begins to honor the sacred environment we are co-creating. The ritual portion takes up to 90 minutes. After the ceremony is complete, Kaitlyn will hold space for a Death Salon where participants will be invited to reflect alone or in community, support our curated food vendors, and gently reintegrate until 10pm.
WHAT TO BRING/WEAR
A blanket, yoga mat, or something to lay on
Comfortable, breathable clothing is recommended
This is at an outdoor venue, so please keep that in mind
PRICING STRUCTURE
(a)Wake is part of a movement toward collective care. Please choose the price that suits your current situation.
$22 – Community Supported (for those who need financial access to attend; limited availability)
$33 – Base Rate (covers cost of materials + energy exchange)
$44 – True Cost (what it actually costs to offer this ceremony)
$55+ – Community Sustainer (supports others to attend + helps this work remain sustainable)
This ceremony will be facilitated by Kaitlyn Pietras (she/her), a queer Jewish grief worker and visual artist based in Los Angeles. She is the creator of (a)Wake, a ritual container at the intersection of grief, death, and art. Her practice is rooted in tending to both personal and collective grief, connecting with ancestral wisdom, and creating ritual spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community. Kaitlyn's work weaves together plant magic, Jewish mysticism, and somatic storytelling.
She trained directly with Emily Cross of the Steady Waves Center, who developed this ceremony inspired by living funerals originally held in South Korea. These ceremonies were created to help participants reflect on their lives and reconnect with a sense of meaning and purpose in the face of death.